NUTRITIOUS TABLE

Linda Farr RD/LD  210-735-2402

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Linda's Hot Topics Nutrition Facts Labeling Changes *

The first significant nutrition labeling changes since 1993 became effective on January 1, 2006. The Nutrition Facts panel for almost all FDA regulated foods must now contain information on Trans fat content and the "Big 8" food allergens. Foods already labeled, shipped across state lines, and stocked on shelves before January 1, 2006 are exempt.

History

The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) of 1993 is credited with revamping food labels in an effort to curb the growing obesity epidemic and to help consumers make healthful food choices. The law required food manufactures to provide the public with more complete and accurate nutrition information so they could make wise decisions to reduce the risks for health problems.

Changes that came about due to this ruling are:

• Calories were displayed more prominently
• Like foods were required to have "standardized" serving sizes based on amounts people usually eat. For example, the serving size for a 20 oz soda would be listed as 1 rather than the previous 2.5 servings.
• Eight types of qualified health claims were permitted. Health claims link a food or food component, such as fiber or calcium, to the risk of a disease or health problem based on sound medical research.
• Foods labeled with overused words such as "fat free", "light" or "low" were required to meet strict definitions for all foods.

2006 Trans Fat Labeling

The Nutrition Facts panel, for nearly all FDA-regulated foods, must be revised to include the Trans fat content. Even products that contain no fat or no Trans fat are required to list the absence of Trans fat on the label, unless the product qualifies to bear a "simplified Nutrition Facts" and has a 0 value for total fat and does not declare a value for saturated fat. Many food manufacturers have already changed the formulation of their products to eliminate Trans fats and partially hydrogenated oils.

2006 Allergen Labeling

To make it easier for food allergic consumers and their caregivers to identify and avoid foods that contain major food allergens, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act of 2004 (FALCPA) was signed by President Bush on August 2, 2004, and became effective January 1, 2006. FALCPA is an amendment to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and requires that the label of a food that contains an ingredient that is or contains protein from a "major food allergen" declare the presence of the allergen. The law identifies eight major foods or food groups ; milk, eggs, fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod), Crustacean shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, shrimp), tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans), peanuts, wheat, and soybeans -- that if present in a packaged food must be listed by their common or usual name in either the ingredient statement or in a separate "contains" (allergen) statement. The eight major food allergens identified by FALCPA account for over 90 percent of all documented food allergies in the U.S. and represent the foods most likely to result in severe or life-threatening reactions.

The allergen law does require that labels declare if flavorings, colorings, and other additives are derived from or have been in contact with a major allergen at any time during the manufacturing process. Previous ingredient labeling regulations did not call for this.

FALCPA only applies to packaged FDA-regulated foods. However, FDA advises consumers who are allergic to particular foods to ask questions about ingredients and preparation when eating at restaurants or any place outside the consumer's home.

FALCPA's labeling requirements extend to retail and food-service establishments that package, label, and offer products for human consumption. However, FALCPA's labeling requirements do not apply to foods eaten in a restaurant or foods that are placed in a wrapper or container in response to a consumer's order - such as a "to go" box or "take out" order.

* Information taken from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website and the American Dietetic Association pamphlet "Understanding Food Labels".

Article written January 2006